The Berenstain Bears and the Sitter

The Berenstain Bears

by Stan Berenstain, Jan Berenstain

This classic Berenstain Bears story is the perfect way to introduce children to what happens when a babysitter comes to watch them!

Come for a visit in Bear Country with this classic First Time Book® from Stan and Jan Berenstain. Mama and Papa are going out for the evening, so Mrs. Grizzle is coming to babysit Brother and Sister. Fun games will be played, and at bedtime, the cubs will be tucked snug into their beds. Includes over 50 bonus stickers!

Genres: Childrens, Picture Books, Fiction, Animals, Juvenile, Kids, Classics

32 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 1981

About the author

Stan and Jan Berenstain (often called The Berenstains) were American writers and illustrators best known for creating the children's book series the Berenstain Bears. Their son Mike Berenstain joined them as a creative team in the late 1980s.

Reviews

[Calista · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Berenstain Bears is hit or miss for me. I thought this was a good one. The cubs are really good. Our kids never go to sleep that easy unless they are dead tired. The art is cozy and paints warm pictures in your mind. The parents have a town meeting and a sitter has to be called. The cubs are anxious about it. They end up having a fantastic time.

The kids enjoyed this and they love sitters. They wanted to know what was in the bag just like the cubs did.

[Nakia's Hideaway]

Very cute with a simple message about not judging a book by its cover.

[J.T. IV · Rating 4 out of 5]

This may have been my favorite book in the Berenstain Bears series as a kid. I’m not sure why, but the detailed pictures helped as always I know; it seemed like every time I read the book there was some corner of the pages that I had not discovered before. Another aspect that may have helped and may be a reason you might want to pick it up is the content. If you have any young kids that are nervous about staying home with a sitter for the first few times, or just with a new sitter, this book may calm their nerves a bit. I was always glad to see the cover with Mrs. Grizzle on it, my girls like this book very much, and hopefully yours will enjoy it too. As always I highly recommend this book and the series as a whole, and hope you will check it out.

[Jordan Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a story about the bears getting scared to be left alone with a new sitter who they don’t think likes them because of accidents that have happened in the past. When Ma and Pa leave for the night they end up having a lot of fun with the new sitter and they realize that she is just as nice as anyone else, they just had to give her a chance. We would use this books in our classroom to teach students that they can’t judge a book by its cover and it’s better to give people a chance than not at all. This would be a great book for the classroom because at the elementary age the students will still be having babysitters coming to their house to watch them. This book can show them that the experience doesn't have to be all bad and that those initial worries may be washed out the door when they actually meet their babysitter.

[Christina Deroche · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Berenstain Bears are some wonderful books. They teach lessons and are fun and adventurous. Children really get into some of their books. This specific book helps teach children to give a person a chance before shutting them out.



Stan and Jan Berenstain are the creators of the Berenstain Bears series of children's books. The first Berenstain Bears book, The Big Honey Hunt, was published in 1962. It quickly became a favorite book for young children that are just learning how to read. Since then, over 150 Berenstain Bears titles have been published. Today, the Berenstain Bears are among the most widely recognized and loved characters in the United States.

[Hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

My son is on a Berenstain Bears kick right now, and I've always loved these books (although I'm not as fond of the newer ones written by the authors' son). Since he'll probably be having his first stranger sitter (unknown until babysitting time) soon, I figured this would be a good read, and he loves it! I love that they mention the cubs' impressions of Mrs. Grizzle before she babysat them and how they worked it out.

[Shiloah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve read and loved this many times throughout my childhood and over twenty years as a mother. This year we’ve added lots of rereads to our read-alouds list. We enjoyed this one tonight. ❤️

[Leland T-Money Fortier · Rating 4 out of 5]

Odd that Stan and Jan made a children's book is all about some elderly lady that apparently has issues with controlling her bowel movements, "The Shitter" is about Mama and Papa Bears struggles with finding someone to watch their kids so they settle for someone who has had bathroom issues.

I only wonder what Mrs. Grizzle did to earn the title "The Shitter", but I think they should have made a story about that too.

[Stacey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is for students of all ages. It encourages students not to think the worst in situations. Sister and brother bear think they are not going to have a good time with the babysitter because of their misbehaviors in the past. Towards the end of the book they change their mind.

[Cindy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read so many Berenstain Bears books during elementary school it's ridiculous!

I rated every book that I read during childhood 5 stars.
Why? Well because that was a time in my life when I loved every single thing I read. And because they bring back fond memories. Ah, the joys of being young!

[Slow Man · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like this one. It started off casting a dark cloud on the sitter. The sitter seems to have something under her sleeves, as though she’s going to throw the children into an oven and bake a bear cake. Well, this is a baby book after all and we watched too much TV anyway. It was a lovely sit and the bear children loved Mrs Grizzle after all.

[Mikaela Fu · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a good book for kids because it is many kids can easy relate to the book since most kids have been left with babysitters.

Lexile Measures- AD660L
Guided Reading- L

Six Traits plus One- Presentation and Voice

[Annie Grote · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Berenstain Bears is a series of books about a family of bears written by Stan and Jan Berenstain. There are dozens of books that each teach a different lesson through a story about Papa Bear, Mama Bear, Brother Bear, and Sister Bear. This particular book, The Berenstain Bears and the Sitter starts with Papa Bear and Mama Bear needing to go out to a meeting and needing someone to watch over Brother and Sister Bear while they are away because their grandparents, aunt, and cousin are all busy and unable to watch them. They finally decide on Miss. Grizzle, and an elderly bear who lives down the road. Brother and Sister Bear aren't happy about this because they think Miss. Grizzle is mean because of the way she looks and keeps to herself. The young bears begin to imagine all of the terrible things that will happen when the "evil" Miss Grizzle comes to babysit them. When Miss. Grizzle arrives, Brother and Sister Bear are nervous, but their worries are quickly set aside when Miss. Grizzle shows them a bag of games she brought and plays games with them tells them stories and rubs their backs before bedtime. The children have the time of their lives and forget why they were so scared of her in the first place. This book teaches a great lesson about not judging others before you know them, in other words, not judging a book by its cover. So often, people will surprise you and be completely different than how you may have expected them to be just based on looking at them. This is a very important lesson to teach to young children. I think this book, along with the rest of the Berenstain Bears books, is great for young readers because it teaches an important lesson in such a simplistic way through an entertaining story about a bear family. It is because of this that I rated the book 5 stars. I grew up reading the Berenstain Bears books and absolutely recommend it to teachers and parents of elementary school children, particularly those in the age range of 5-8.

[Cassandra Gelvin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Babysitters are a last resort, but not scary.

It's not bad. It's mediocre. It's a little bit judgmental of people who use babysitters.

Mama and Papa get a notice about an important meeting at town hall, but everybody is going to that meeting. That implies that the person they settle on for the babysitter is not very community conscious. The kids start out worried about it because they've had a couple of unpleasant run-ins with the babysitting woman in the past, where one lost a ball in her flower garden and the other accidentally hit her on the head with a kite. But she turns out to be nice. She brings string, cards, and tiddlywinks, and they play games. Then they go to sleep and she tucks them in. That's it.

I'm not really sure what the message is. It seems to have a message, but then loses it.

The best part: The book she reads them to put them to sleep is Bears in the Night, another book I've reviewed. It probably bores them to sleep.

Message: Don't be afraid of babysitters?

For more children's book reviews, see my website at http://www.drttmk.com.

[Bethany Vines]

Since I have always been a fan of The Berenstain Bears collection, I often read these books with the kids that I babysit. The Bereinstain Bears and the Sitter is a cute book that shows the bears first experience with a babysitter. At first, the bears are nervous, but in the end they learn that having a babysitter can be fun and exciting. I think that this book was a good choice for kids to read or to be read to because it is relatable to kids of many ages that may have babysitters. I think that these books are exciting and enjoyed by most young readers and would recommend them to students looking for a fun series to read.

[Adam Utehs]

This book shows that children usually fear their next door neighbors and in this case the next door neighbor was going to be their baby sitter. Many children make assumptions that people do not like them like neighbors and other people who are not their parents. When kids even get their first sitters like me they are scared that these people are evil and out to get them. This book shows that these assumptions are not true and children should be more open minded. I would recommend this book for children to not be scared of the doctors that are very vital to our health.

[Cassandra Lindquist · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think these books are really fun because they take bears and bring them to life and show this whole other world that these bears live in. They make the bears homes and lives similar to peoples lives which I think creates great imagination for children. I have always really loved this series and they are a huge hit at the daycare I use to work at. This one was a favorite and I think its because the sitter adds this fun element because she is scary at first but then the bears adore her. This is also one of my favorite illustrators.

[Stef · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another one from my childhood. Mama and Papa are going out and need a babysitter to watch Brother and Sister, so they get a gnarled and grizzled old lady who "lives in the hollow stump at the end of the road" to gather up her ominous drawstring bag and come hang out with their bairns. Mrs. Grizzle turns out to be fun and cool, though, with all her Tiddly-winks and playing cards, and the book ends sweetly: "The cubs had a number of different sitters from time to time, but Mrs. Grizzle was their favorite—and they were always glad to see her."

[Shacoria · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is the 7th Berenstain Bears book that I have read. These books are always so beautifully illustrated. This books didn't really have very much flair to it. I mean, it just sort of came and went. The parents went to a town hall meeting and left the kids with the babysitter. They were afraid of the babysitter but she turned out to be nice. THE END.

[Chelsea Horton · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a series that I read growing up. I never read this one as a child (at least I do not remember). It is a great book for kids who are scared to have their first sitter. In the book the cubs were afraid she was scary, but they ended up having a great time and she was their favorite sitter. It is adorable and a great lesson for kids.

[↜ƈɦǟռ☂ɛℓℓɛ↝ · Rating 4 out of 5]

★★★★The Berenstain Bears and the Sitter by Stan and Jan Berenstain
Mama and Papa Bear, have a meeting to go to, so Brother and Sister Bear need a sitter. This will be there first time with a sitter, and they are scared that they won't like her. But as it turns out, everything ends up fine, and they like her.

[Katt Hansen · Rating 5 out of 5]

The cover on this book is positively sinister. The cubs are going to have a new babysitter - but it's the parents who worry the most as the night progresses. This is another great book in this series, that really deals with how to react when experiencing someone new. I love how the cubs give her an honest chance as their sitter. So far this is one my favorites in the series.

[Shelli · Rating 4 out of 5]

When Momma and Papa Bear get a notice about a town meeting they have a hard time finding a babysitter for Brother and Sister Bear. Everyone they know is going to the same meeting. Only Old Mrs. Grizzle seems to be available... and she is not anyone the cubs wish to spend time with.

[chucklesthescot · Rating 3 out of 5]

There is a big meeting that all the adults are wanting to go to but no family members are left to look after Brother and Sister Bear. The cubs are very nervous about meeting their new sitter as they have both given her a bit of trouble in the past with their cub games.

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don’t remember this one in English, but having read it in Spanish with a young child, I liked how Brother and Sister’s feelings of insecurity and trepidation about a new babysitter are met by a strong, experienced babysitter.

[Sophie]

Dad brought home a few books from the used book store and this was one of them. I liked seeing what Mrs. Grizzle had in her drawstring bag. I'm glad that Dad buys me books I point out from the back cover.

[Dimps · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of my childhood favorites. :)

[angrykitty · Rating 4 out of 5]

for some reason, when i saw the malcolm in the middle where bea arthur babysits dewey, this book instantly came to mind.

[Heather · Rating 2 out of 5]

I used to read these with my parents all the bloody time! Most of them were so loved that they had all fallen apart.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

In case we needed more proof that looks can be deceiving. Mrs. Grizzle turns out to be a terrific babysitter after all. Who'd a thunk?